Hereford have been embarrassingly dumped out of the FA Cup at Edgar Street on Tuesday evening as Paul Caddis’s threadbare squad couldn't find a way back from going a goal down.
Having fought for a 2-2 draw in Hertfordshire on Saturday, the third qualifying round replay in Herefordshire was the Bulls’ chance to set up a home tie against their former EFL opponents Yeovil Town. But it was Millar Matthews-Lewis who broke the deadlock from an indirect free kick on the edge of the six-yard box after Theo Richardson handled a back pass.
With the Bulls twice hitting the crossbar during the course of the game, Finley Wilkinson and George Williams secured their side’s place in the fourth qualifying round with goals in seven minutes of injury time.
Caddis was forced into two changes ahead of kick-off against the National League South side, Eno Nto coming in for Matt Richards and I-Lani Edwards for Andy Williams, with his side plagued by injuries.
With 1,300 hopeful Bulls fans at a floodlit Edgar Street on an autumnal evening, the evening started brightly as a sixth-minute corner put the visitors under pressure. After being swung in by Omari Sterling-James, Remaye Campbell saw his effort blocked before Lewis Hudson fired into the side netting.
Five minutes later, a stationary Hemel keeper Michael Johnson could hardly believe his luck as Campbell’s vicious effort took a deflection off a defender, smashed against the crossbar and back into his palms as the Meadow End watched on in disbelief.
For Hemel, Matthew-Lewis could’ve opened the scoring in the 14th minute as Samuel Adenola’s free kick was hopelessly flapped at by Richardson, but he could only find the side netting with his header from close range.
As clear-cut chances became few and far between for both sides, Hereford - passing the ball neatly - looked lively with Nto causing problems down the right, though his crosses often missed the target.
While Hereford could’ve been punished for losing possession, Devante Stanley’s ball into the box couldn’t find a red shirt as the chance went begging before Nto and Sterling-James threatened but their shots were ultimately off target.
As the first half petered out, including a bandaged Campbell soldiering on after taking a knock to the head, Hemel once again hit the side-netting with Adenola’s chance in stoppage time.
Half time: Hereford 0 - Hemel Hempstead 0
With Hereford fans hoping the team would go up a gear and increase intensity in the second half, hope was extinguished as Hemel took the lead. Five minutes into the half, Richardson picked up a pass back from Aaron Skinner - a free kick on the edge of the six-yard box the punishment.
Having taken a first free kick too soon as the referee was booking Skinner, Hemel Hempstead had the ball in the back of the net again - and this time it counted - Lewis drilled his free-kick low, passing the defence to open the scoring.
As a nervousness crept into the side, long-ball became the new tactic - and it proved ineffective as ever. It wasn’t until the 69th minute that Hereford next truly threatened, as Sam Osborne made a determined run through Hemel’s midfield, unleashing a powerful shot from 30 yards over Johnson, only to be denied by the crossbar.
With Richardson having to react quickly twice to deny shots from Williams, there were chances as substitute Preston Bitemo blazed an effort well over the bar and Hudson headed over from a Sterling-James corner.
As the fourth official’s board went up showing seven minutes of added time, there was hope as Campbell headed wide from a free-kick but the Bulls were soon punished further.
An impressive ball from Johnson in goal up to Wilkinson saw him calmly burst through and net past Richardson, but there was worse to come.
As fans started to file out of Edgar Street, a really well-worked goal from the visitors saw Williams head home from Darion Dowrich’s pin-point cross from the right.
Full time: Hereford 0 - Hemel Hempstead 3
Attendance: 1,307 (16 away)
All in all, it was a poor evening from Hereford. With injuries besetting the side, being unable to introduce Andy Williams rubbed salt into the wounds of a poor performance from Hereford. Resorting too often to ineffective long balls, the side, unbeaten in six games before the match, appeared to be suffering from a lack of confidence. With a bit more luck and a referee who clamped down on time-wasting as soon as it started, it could have been a different outcome, but Hereford need to focus on the things they can control. Namely, their performances.
With Lawson D’Ath still out, reinforcements are needed in midfield as Hereford find themselves all too often overun, though Skinner worked his socks off trying to link up play as best he could. That leaves the defence under too much pressure though, making clean sheets a big ask.
Anyway, shall we focus on the league?
Hereford: Richardson, Skinner, Quansah, Preston, Howkins, Hudson, Sterling-James, Osbourne, Edwards (Rooney 65'), Campbell, Nto (Bitemo 60')
Subs not used: Lewis, Roberts, Williams, Richards
Hemel Hempstead Town: Johnson, Adenola, Dowrich, Ajayi, Rowan, Matthews-Lewis, Wiltshire, Achuba, Noel-Williams, Brown, Stanley
Subs: Williams, Gray, Wilkinson, Azeez, Arnold, Anderson, Semakula